Renewable energy opportunities for low-income homeowners

Community members interested in renewable energy, job training, volunteer opportunities, and helping to lower electricity costs for low-income residents are encouraged to attend the Tuesday meeting of the Woodland City Council Sustainability Committee to learn about a program that addresses all of these.

Bob Gragson, North Valley Regional Director of GRID Alternatives, will be providing a special presentation on GRID Alternatives, a nonprofit that helps low-income homeowners install solar systems at no cost or low cost using job trainees and volunteers, according to Roberta Childers, the city's environmental resource analyst.

The organization was selected by the California Public Utilities Commission to be the statewide program manager for California's Single-Family Affordable Solar Homes program, a component of the California Solar Initiative.

GRID Alternatives' Solar Affordable Housing Program brings together community partners, volunteers and job trainees to implement solar power and energy efficiency for low-income families, providing energy cost savings, hands-on work experience, and a source of clean energy.

GRID Alternatives has developed a replicable model for making solar power and solar job training accessible to low-income communities. The program has a triple bottom-line benefit: long-term financial relief for families, job training in a growing industry and progress toward community and regional clean-energy goals. The presentation will address how the Woodland community can work with GRID Alternatives to expand these benefits locally.

GRID Alternatives has won several awards and recognitions from organizations that include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the James Irvine Foundation, and U.S. Department of Energy. In addition, one of the founders was recently named a White House Champion of Change for solar deployment.

The Sustainability Committee is a subcommittee of the Woodland City Council. The Tuesday meeting will be held at 4 p.m. in the CDD First Floor Conference Room at City Hall, 300 First St. All interested community members are welcome.